First, what exactly is PTSD? The DSM describes that “PTSD always follows a traumatic event which causes intense fear and/or helplessness in an individual” (DSM allpsych.com). In short, it is an anxiety disorder following a one-time dangerous or disastrous event, or chronic disastrous events such as soldiers in lengthy, grueling wars or individuals subject to sexual abuse for long periods of time. All humans have what is called a fight-or-flight response which generally occurs when a stressful situation is imminent or occurring. In this natural response, your body is preparing you and getting you ready as best it can for what is to come. However, in the case of PTSD, this fight-or-flight response can occur when the individual is no longer in danger, and do so frequently, sometimes endangering themselves or others unnecessarily (National Institute of Mental Health). Furthermore, these realities could also just contribute to what an individual believes to be deviant. Labeling theory goes into depth about how individuals that are labeled are actually more likely to ascribe to and epitomize “their” label more as they hear it or see individuals act differently in response to it (Calhoun, Thio, & Conyers).
While I could spend a lot of time talking about different aspects of what individuals with PTSD face, I feel I would be slighting my readers since I am in no way qualified to talk about what people with PTSD have, instead I believe it would be much more beneficial and enrich your understanding if I showed a couple of videos of what people with PTSD experience. This first video is a rap song, done by a soldier, who discusses his struggles and mindset dealing with PTSD. Even if you don’t listen to or like rap, hear what he has to say, and I promise it will benefit your understanding.
As you can see, the man in the video is definitely a troubled individual due to his PTSD. This next video is a compilation of veterans speaking out about PTSD and what they experienced, and how they dealt with it.
The next crucial question to ask though, how are people with PTSD stigmatized? Are they seen as inferior, dangerous, or brave? Do people understand or trust them anymore? What kinds of support do they have for their illness? And finally, are they treated differently due to the ascribed v. achieved argument?
People with PTSD are often stigmatized as being dangerous or overtly mean. This could be because the disorder can make you somewhat of a social hermit, not feeling comfortable around other people, especially in public places where you don’t know many people. Next, as the second video points out, some things individuals with PTSD do can be perceived as dangerous, such as sleeping with a knife or weapon, or carrying a knife or weapon on your person. In these ways I understand people’s hesitance to interact a lot with soldiers and veterans that have PTSD, especially considering many with PTSD never get treated, but instead resort to alcohol in drugs, not comfortable with the reality they perceive sober.
Next, I believe the reactions people have to PTSD are mixed. On the one hand you have people that judge them negatively because they are seen as different, and their sometimes paranoid behavior is unusual and perceived as threatening. On the other hand, especially when it comes to views of our soldiers, we revere their sacrifice and the extensive coverage the media has focused on PTSD has helped to inform more people about it, and let them understand that many individuals with it have been to hell and back and deal with chronic nightmares, voices that aren’t there, have suicidal impulses, and feel helpless to the voice in their head. This brings me to the ascribed v. achieved discussion we have been having all semester. Whereas 40 years ago when Vietnam veterans began coming back home, the medical community and general public certainly didn’t know the psychological effects of war like they do now, and therefore they were stigmatized due to people believing they had “achieved” that mental state and attitude as a fault of their own. However, now it is seen much differently by the American public, and many people are more sensitive and try to be understanding when it comes to PTSD, since it is now viewed as an ascribed condition. However, it is incredibly interesting to see that such a subtle difference—do people think you chose it or it was chosen for you—can change how these individuals are seen and treated.
While it is not as stigmatized as it was, since we now know what it is, there are still many barriers that PTSD victims face when integrating back into society and trying to live a “normal” American life. For example, individuals with PTSD find it much harder to get employment and keep a job, due to the stresses and mental battles they must fight daily. Until recently there really was not a great method for addressing and treating the disorder. As we learned from the Frowner story that Professor Williams linked to in the Blog 4 assignment, how individuals and family members choose to deal with abnormal behavior and disorders can have a large impact on how they can overcome them (RadioLab).
Word Count 1173 (Including Everything)
Works Cited:
Thio, Alex, and Thomas C. Calhoun. Readings in Deviant Behavior. 6th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001. Print.
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)." What Is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD? National Institute on Mental Health. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/what-is- post-traumatic-stress-disorder-or-ptsd.shtml
"Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Anxiety Disorders at ALLPSYCH Online." Psychology Classroom at AllPsych Online. AllPsych Online. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. http://allpsych.com/disorders/anxiety/ptsd.html
Warner, Gregory. "The Frowners - Radiolab." RadioLab. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. http://www.radiolab.org/2008/dec/29/the-frowners/
Disagree/ Do Better- Although your blog post seems to get to the significant stigma that surrounds PTSD sufferers, I feel that you may have missed some of the other important social constructions surrounding the disorder. Allen Frances said in the article What’s a Mental Disorder? Even Experts Can’t Agree, that unintentional benefit of a disorder can cause increases in the diagnosis of the disorder. Many people believe that the increase in PTSD is due to the amount of money paid out to veterans with the disorder. Although I do not think this is necessarily the case I do believe it gives a more complete picture of the controversy of disorders like PTSD and could have given your post a stronger voice.
ReplyDeleteDisagree/ Do better? I’d have to say do a little better. Don’t get me wrong, I like your topic and the focus you bring concerning PTSD. There is no doubt that this is an issue. The blog does get to the stigmas sounding the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is no secret that PTSD has been an alarming problem for American soldiers in the last decade. There are other social constructions that could have been more focused on. I have a cousin, a former captain in the U.S. Army who suffered with PTSD. He said that this issue is in many ways getting better because of the organizations that are willing to help. I thought that getting help is soon to be a requirement for soldiers after being discharged. However, as you mentioned, there are soldiers out there who refuse the help. As discussed before in class, does this make them deviant to society though many can function with PTSD? Many who suffer from this do not have the same portrayed problems as others.
ReplyDeleteRod.